Each year, the number of detainees who are infected with the Human Immune Virus (HIV), Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other communicable diseases increases dramatically. The transportation of detainees, such as prisoners, invariably results in moments of high stress, duress and emotion. During these moments, the detainee may resist the conveying personnel, and thus become injured to the extent that the detainee bleeds from around the mouth and/or nose. In addition, the detainee may intentionally or accidently issue body fluids, such as spit or vomit, onto the conveying personnel as a weapon of last resort against restraint. Accordingly, personnel who convey detainees must take care to avoid contact with the detainee's blood and body fluids.
Protective head coverings, known as transport hoods, have long been utilized to constrain detainees, and to protect the conveying personnel from the detainee as well as to protect the detainee from the surrounding environment. However, prior transport hoods include a discrete opening adjacent the eyes of the detainee. Thus, conveying personnel are required to take additional time to orient the opening provided in the transport hood with the eyes of the detainee. The additional time that the conveying personnel are in close proximity to the detainee increases the risk that the conveying personnel may come in contact with the blood and/or body fluids of the detainee. Further, the discrete opening restricts the vision of the detainee and prevents the conveying personnel from observing the head of the detainee from all angles.
A protective head covering is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,186,703 to Sullivan. Sullivan discloses a protective head covering, or hood, for use by an operator of a baling press or threshing machine. The Sullivan hood shields the head, eyes, nose, mouth and neck of the operator from dust and small particles of debris, such as straw. However, the Sullivan hood includes a pair of discrete openings that must be oriented adjacent the eyes of the operator and is not intended to prevent bacteria, blood and body fluids of the operator from being projected into the surrounding environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,408 to Singer discloses a protective head covering for use as a surgical mask and hood. The Singer mask and hood protects the wearer from bacteria, blood and body fluids in the surrounding environment, and prevents bacteria, blood and body fluids issued by the wearer from being dispersed into the surrounding environment. However, the Singer mask and hood likewise includes a discrete opening that must be oriented with the eyes of the wearer, and does not permit the head of the wearer to be observed from any angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,262 to Cominsky discloses a transport hood for protecting conveying personnel from exposure to the body fluids of a detainee. The transport hood disclosed by the Cominsky '262 patent includes a top portion and a bottom portion each constructed of a different material. The top portion is substantially transparent. The bottom portion is made of a breathable plastic or fabric cloth which is impervious to blood and body fluids issued by the detainee. The top portion of the transport hood covers the head of the detainee to just below the eyes and the bottom portion covers the head of the detainee from just below the eyes to just below the chin. A first length of elastic joins the top portion to the bottom portion just below the eyes of the detainee to gather the top portion and hold the transport hood securely on the head of the detainee. A second length of elastic is provided on the lowermost edge of the bottom portion to secure the transport hood about the neck of the detainee.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,203 to Cominsky discloses a cinching grommet for use with the transport hood of the Cominsky '262 patent. The cinching grommet disclosed by the Cominsky '203 patent is a thin disk made of a flexible plastic material having at least one opening formed therethrough for receiving an excess amount of the material of the top portion of the transport hood. The cinching grommet grasps and secures the excess material of the top portion so that the transport hood is properly positioned on the head of the detainee with the lowermost edge of the top portion and the uppermost edge of the bottom portion just below the eyes of the detainee.
The transport hood taught by the aforementioned Cominsky patents has been well received by law enforcement agencies as being effective for protecting conveying personnel from exposure to the blood and body fluids of a detainee. In certain instances, however, the bottom portion of the transport hood being impervious to blood and body fluids could cause discomfort to the detainee. In particular, vomit ejected from the mouth of the detainee may accumulate within the bottom portion of the transport hood in the event that conveying personnel improperly position or improperly secure the transport hood onto the head of the detainee. If conveying personnel allow a substantial amount of vomit or spit to accumulate within the bottom portion of the transport hood, the detainee could experience difficulty breathing and potentially be rendered unconscious due to oxygen deprivation (hypoxia). Unless conveying personnel utilize the transport hood as intended and properly address the aforementioned situation, the detainee could potentially suffer a hypoxic brain injury and/or cardiac arrest.
As is now apparent, a transport hood for protecting conveying personnel from the blood and body fluids of a detainee is needed that not only prevents blood and body fluids issued by the detainee from being spread into the surrounding environment, but also protects the detainee from discomfort and potential breathing difficulty. The present invention, as described in detail herein, provides a transport hood that protects conveying personnel from the blood and body fluids of a detainee, while at the same time avoiding potential discomfort and breathing difficulty to the detainee that could result from blood or body fluids being retained within the transport hood.